Filter



May 16, 1939. R. R. LAYTE ET A1.

FILTER Filed Aug. 19, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet l gwpToR ATTORNEYS May 16, 1939. R. R. LAYTE E'r A1.

FILTER Filed Aug. 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 ENTOR M2@ ATTORNEYS May 16, 1939. R. R. LAYTE Er Al.

FILTER Filed Aug. 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 lNvENToR l ATToRNEYs .wma W May 16, 1939- R. R. L AYTE ET Al. 2,158,512

' FILTER Filed Aug. 19, 1937 4 Sheets--Sheell 4 ATTO RN EYS Patented 'May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FILTER of Delaware Application August 19, 1937, Serial No. 159,810

10 Claims.

This invention relates to filters and more especially to a filter for use in connection with the lubricating system of an internal combustion engine as well as for use in the filtering of fuel oil and the like.

An object of this invention is an expensive selfcontained filtering element which is efiicient to effect removal of solids from lubricating oil and to maintain the oil clear and of good color over a period of operation of the engine representing several thousand miles travel of the vehicle in which the engine is mounted and which is provided with a casing into which it may be inserted or from which it may be removed easily and quickly, thus facilitating replacement of an exhausted filtering unit by a fresh filtering unit.

A flltering unit embodying the invention consists essentially of a cylindrical mass of preferably fibrous vegetable material surrounding a central tube and enclosed by a metal cylinder having discharge apertures at each end, together with a circular distributor mounted centrally on the tube and extending into the body of fibrous vegetable material. The body of fibrous vegetable material constitutes the filtering medium and is spirally Wound around the central tube. The filtering medium may be any suitable material which may be prepared in a manner to adapt it for winding into spiral form. A cloth sock surrounds the central tube at either side of the distributor and extends over one end of the cylinder of filtering medium and along the peripheral surface thereof so that the filtering medium is substantially enclosed in a cloth double jacket. The fibrous vegetable material is loosely Wound adjacent the central tube except just at the ends thereof and at which points it is tightly wound. Also, the fibrous material is tightly wound adjacent the periphery of the cylinder. Oil is admitted to the central tube and is introduced through the distributor into the cylinder. The oil then flows through the body of filtering medium and escapes through the ends of the casing. Thus, the oil in its dirty condition flows first through loosely packed filtering medium which is conducive to the removal of solid particles and then through the more tightly packed material. The oil pushes` (Cl. 21o- 131) ing short-circuiting ofthe oil around the filtering medium by fiow along the inner surface of the casing. All oil is thus forced to pass through sufficient depth of flltering material to effect the desired purification thereof.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through a filter embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary section partialy in elevation of the filter with the cover slightly lifted;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a section on the line 4--4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5--5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section, partially in elevation, of a modified embodiment, and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary section, partly in elevation, on the line 1-1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. `8 is a fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1,

Fig. 9 is a vertical section through a further embodiment of the invention and Fig. 10 is a horizontal section through the said further embodiment.

The casing I0 has its lower end inwardly tapered and supports a hollow post II extending centrally of the casing and slightly above its upper edge. In the upper end v,of-the post II are arranged two spaced washers I2 and I3. A ball I4 is pressed against the washer I2 by a spring I5 interposed between the ball and the washer I3, the ball I4 normally serving to close the opening in the washer I2. Near the bottom of the post II is provided a circular stop or support I6 and the upper end of the post II is exteriorly threaded to receive a nut I1. A collar I8 is slidably mounted on the lower portion of the nut I1 and has a flange I9 at its lower end. A portion of the nut I1 extends through an aperture in the cover 20 for the shell I0 and between the cover and fiange I9 is interposed a spring 2|. The sleeve I8 is prevented from slipping off the inner end of the nut I1 by an enlargement formed thereon after assembly of the sleeve and nut.

A cylindrical filtering unit 22 having a central bore is arranged within the casing I0 with the post Il extending through the bore. end of the unit 22 rests upon the support I6 while the fiange I9 of the sleeve I8 engages thetop of the unit. The cover 20 is held in place by the nut II and the flange I9 is pressed against the top of the unit 22 by the Aspring 2| The unitI 22 consists of acylindrical imperforate metal The lower casing 23 having perforated metal ends 24 mechanically sealed thereto.` Also, a central metal tube 25 extends between the end members 24 and has its ends mechanically sealed to said end members. Each end member is centrally depressed and receives a gasket 25, one of which engages the support I8 and the other of which is engaged by the flange I8. Each end of the tube 25 is bent out slightly to form a fiange 21 which holds the corresponding gasket 25 in its socket. A pair of perforated metal disks 28 surround the tube 25 midway the ends thereof and have their edges offset into contact to form a distributor, the plates being arranged at either side of a peripheral row of apertures in the tube 25. Within the casing 22 and surrounding the tube 25 and distributor is a mass of vegetable fibrous material. This material is in the form of a ribbon spirally wound around the tube 25 and distributor. A cloth sock 29 surrounds the lower end of the tube 25 and is secured by a tie member 30. This sock extends down the tube to the end member 24 which it follows out to the casing 23 and then extends along the casing substantially to the other end thereof. A similar sock 3| surrounds the upper end of the tube 25 and is provided with a tie member 32 and extends upwardly along the tube 25 the top member 25 which it follows to the member 28 and then extends along the same approximately to the bottom end thereof and enclosing the sock 29. A disk 33 of wool or other similar pervious material resistant to crankcase acid engages the inner surface of each of the end members 24 and serves to prevent the escape of fibrous'material through the perforations in the end member.

l Oil to be filtered is supplied to the bottom end of the post I I and passes upwardly therethrough to the aperture I Ib through which it escapes into the space between the post I I and tube 25. From this space, the oil passes through the holes Ila into the distributor. From the distributor, the oil passes out through the perforations in the plates 28 into the body of fibrous vegetable ma terial constituting the filtering medium. .The filtered oil escapes from the filtering unit through theperforations in the plates 24 and passes out of the casing through the discharge port 84. In

the event that the oil is too viscous to flow through the filtering unit, as for example, when the oil.

is cold at the time of starting the engine, the oil lifts the ball I4 against the action of the spring I5 and escapes through the washer I3 and aperture 35 in the nut I'I into the interior of the casing from which it is discharged through the outlet port 84.-

When it is desired to replace an exhausted filtering unit with a fresh filtering unit, the nutl II is unsc'ewed to disengage it from the post II and the cover 28 is removed from the casing. The exhausted filtering unit is then lifted out of the casing by means of the handle 85 provided for that purpose and a new unit is inserted after which the cover is replaced and the nut I'I is again engaged with the upper end of the post I I. The spring 2I presses the flange I9 into engagement with the topvgasket 25 while the bottom gasket 25 is pressed into engagement with the support I8 by pressure transmitted through the vent escape of oil at the ends of the bore of the filtering unit.

In assembling the fibrous vegetable material `with the central tube and distributor, the mav 75 terial is wound about the tube rather loosely 'arcane except at each end of the tube where the ribbon is wound tightly. The loose winding continues out to approximately the rim oi the distributorand from this point the material is tightly wound so as to provide a zone of tightly packed filtering material near the periphery of the body. In the winding operation, the fibrous vegetable material is differentially pulled out and manipulated by the operator so as'to vary the amount of material applied in different sections as well as the ten-v sion under which it is applied. By Stringing out the fibrous material differently during the winding operation, the operator is able to produce a generally cylindrical body of fibrous material in which there is an outer zone of more tightly packed fibrous material than the inner zone. During the winding of the material of the outer zone, the density of the material in the inner zone may be slightly increased but the material of the inner zone nevertheless remains less tightly packed than the material in the outer zone. The filtering material is wound on the tube and distributor with the socks 29 and 3l in position on the tube. After the winding has been completed, the socks are drawn over the ends of the filtering body and along the curved surface thereof so that throughout substantially its whole length the filter body is enclosed in two thicknesses of cloth.

- the distributor is forced away therefrom to form an open space around the distributor, as shown in Fig. 8. The eiiect of such movement is to render the filtering material progressively more tightly packed from the open space to the surface of the body and also to force the body surface tightly against the casing to form a tight seal which prevents short circuiting of the oil along the surface of the casing around the filtering material. A11 the oil is thus forced to' pass through a substantial depth 'of progressively more tightly packed filtering material and thorough cleansing thereof is effected.

As the oil flows through the filter, its velocity is very greatly reduced by reason of the increase in the cross-section of its path. In its passage through the filter, the successive ports are of progressively greater area. It will be noted that the oil is discharged through four openings IIa into the distributor and from the distributor it is discharged through a larger number of openings into the filtering material. Also, it will be noted that the number of openings in each end of the member 24 is greater than the number of openings in a plate 28 so that the oil velocity reduces with its progress through the filtering body. In the passage of oil from the distributor openings to the openings in the plates 28, it fiows first through a zone of loosely packed filtering material and then through a zone of tightly packed material. The cross-section of the oil path is larger in the second zone than in the first zone so that the velocity of iiow through the tightly packed material is less than the velocity of fiow through the loosely packed material but the rate of flow through both zones is the same tube 25. A tight seal is thus formed-to prey and is sufiicient that the filter may remove impurities from the lubricant of an internal combustion engine substantially as fast as said im# purities are produced, thereby maintaining the ,oil of clear color and free from solids. v

In the modification shown in Figs. 6 and 7. th

shell H is substantially cylindrical throughout its entire length but at its lower end is provided with a shoulder on which is supported an apertured disk 40. A base 4| is provided with a groove into which fits the lower end of the shell e i i0. A nut 42 has a threaded extension 43 which the disk 40 and the cover 20 is held in-place as known type.

provided with an oil inlet passage 46 which communicates through the bore in the extension 43 with the interior of the post Ill to supply oil toA the filtering unit as previously described. In the base 4l is provided a by-pass valve 41 controlled by a relief valve 48 for permitting fiow of oil when for any reason the resistance of the filter becomes too great.

In Figs. 9 and 10, the invention is disclosed as embodied in a sealed cartridge filter of the well- The filtering unit 52 consists of a cylindrical body of fibrous vegetable filtering material wound about a central tube'55 extending between perforated end members 54 to which its ends are mechanically sealed. A pair of metal perforated disks 58 surround the tube 55 midway the ends thereof, and have their edges offset intol contactto form a distributor, said disks being arranged at either side of a peripheral row of apertures in the tube 55. A cloth sock 59. surrounds the lower end of-the tube 55 and is secured by a tie member 60. This sock member extends down the tube to the end member 54 which it follows out to the periphery of the body of filtering material and then extends along the body substantially to the end thereof. A similar sock 6i surrounds the upper end of the tube 55 and is provided with a, tie member 62. This sock member extends upwardly along the tube 55 to the end member 54 which it follows to the periphery of the filtering body and then extends along the same approximately to the bottom end thereof and encloses the sock 59. A disk 53 of wool or other similar pervious material resistant to crank case acid engages the inner surface of each end member 54 and serves to prevent the escape of fibrous material through the perforations in the end member.

The ltering unit is enclosed in a two-part sealed casing 64 having an inlet 65 and an outlet 66. The tube 55 has one end connected to the inlet 65 and is closed at its other end by the bottom end member 54. Oil is supplied through the inlet to the tube 55 from which it passes into the distributor and then through the filtering material. On the inner surface of the casing is provided a transfer tube 61 by which the chamber at either end of the filtering unit are interconnected. Through the medium of this tube, filtered oil is transferred from the inlet end of the casing to the outlet end from which the filtered oil is discharged through the outlet 66.

The fibrous 'vegetable material composing the filtering body is assembled With the central tube and distributor as previously described. Also, in the operation of the filtering unit, the looselypacked material is caused to move away from the distributor to form an open space therearound in the same manner as previously described and with the same result with respect to the progressive packing of the filtering material.

The filtering unit of this invention is equally applicable for the filtration of fuel oil as well as lubricating oil. The fibrous vegetable material composing the filtering body preferably is cotton waste in ribbon form, as such material is very satisfactory and easy to handle, butany other material of similar nature may be made use of. Also, it is to be understood that various modifications may be made in the filter structure above described without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

' l. A filtering unit comprising a tube, a casing surrounding said tube and having perforated end members connected to said tube, an uninterrupted body of fibrous filtering material interposed between said tube and casing, and a perforated distributor on said tube extending into said filtering body and having its periphery spaced from said casing, said filtering material being more tightly packed adjacent thefperiphery and ends of the body than adjacent the distributor and central portion of the tube.

2. A filtering unit comprising a tube, a casing surrounding said tube and having perforated end members connected to said tube, an uninterrupted body of spirally wound fibrous filtering material interposed between said tube and casing, a perforated distributor on said tube extending into said filtering body and having its periphery spa/ced from said casing, said material being more tightly wound adjacent the periphery and ends of the body than adjacent the distributor and central portion of the tube.

3. A filtering unit comprising a tube, a casing surrounding said tube and having perforated end members connected to said tube, an uninterrupted body of fibrous filtering material interposed between said tube and casing, and a perforated distributor on said tube extending into said filtering body and having its periphery spaced from said casing, said body of filtering material being progressively more tightly packed from said distributor to the surface of said body.

4. A filtering unit comprising a tube, a casing surrounding said tube and having perforated end members connected to said tube, an uninterrupted body of fibrous filtering material interposed between said tube and casing.. and a perforated distributor on said tube extending into said filtering body and having its periphery spaced from said casing, said body of filtering material comprisihg a zone of loosely packed material adjacent said distributor and a surrounding zone of more tightly packed materlal;

5. A filtering unit comprising a tube, a casing surrounding said tube and having perforated end members connected to said tube, an uninterrupted body of non-resilient fibrous material interposed between said tube and casing, a perforated distributor on said tube extending into said filtering body and having its periphery spaced from said casing, said filtering material being out of contact with said distributor to form an open space into which the distributor discharges and being progressively more tightly packedl from said space to the surface of said body.

6. A filtering unit according to claim l characterized by a pair of cloth socks attached to said tube adjacent said distributor, each sock extending along the tube to the end thereof and across the end of the body of material and over the outer face of said body substantially to the opposite end thereof.

7. A illtering unit according to claim 2 characterized by a p air of cloth-socks attached to said tube adi acent said distributor, each sock extending along the tube to the :end thereof and 'across the end of the body of material and over the outer face o'f said body substantially to the opposite end thereof.

8. A filtering unitaccox'ding to claim 3 charaeterized by a pair of cloth socks attached to said tubeadjacentv said distributor, each sock extending along the tube to the end thereof and across the vend of the body of material and over the outer face of said body substantially to the opposite end thereof.

9. A illtering unit according to claim 4 characterized by a pair of cloth socks attached to said tube adiacent said distributor, each sock extending along the tube to the end thereof and across the end of the body of material and over the outer face oi' said body substantially to the opposite end thereof.

10. A illtering unit according to claim 5 characterized by a pair of cloth socks attached to said tube adjacent said distributor, each sock extending along the tube to the end thereof and across the end of the body of material and over the outerface of said body substantially to the opposite end thereof.

RALPH R. LAYTE. MARION M. McCOY. 

